New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-29
THE CITYrS NEED.

Tho steady and rapid growth in the value Of
its real estate is pleasing evidence OF the
cty's prosperity, hut there is large clas> Of the
population TO which it is hardly welcome intel
| liccnCe. The dweilcrs in tenement houses and
| the persons of small incomes who want homes OF
their own will find poor comfort in this fact
| 1t places further and further beyond their reach
he hoIo of securing home within the city
| limits The S,ima'ed cost Of The new buildings
Of which plans were filed last year was $5S,-
479,653. TIE average cost eXccc led $l4,O 900
exclusive of the land. Many buildings cost o
great deal more and others less. but there were
| few erected witch with the ground co Id be
| said TO be within the reach of persons Of small
incomes.
With all this largo expenditure only 4,O97
bindings OF every kind were erected. In
brooklyn 1905 were built at an average cost
Of less than 5000, or n total Of $l9,21i, 435.
In Philadelphia, with al ont half the population
over twice as many dwelling houses were erected
last year as in New-York. In meeting the need
Of the great mass of the population for homes
New York is much tehird its ncighborS. This
Will probably continue TO lc the case and the
increasing value Of lis real estate shows tend
cncy TO make il even more difficult for the
CONF arativcly poor TO own land IN the city.
The convcyanccs Of real estate show an outlay
last year Of nearly $237 100000. The amount
was really much larger. rs nearly 300 trans
fcIs were maze Tor which no consideration
appears in the deeds. The average amount OF
each CONVEYANCE was nearly 1000. In 1879
the average was only about $500. This
RAPID appreciation is due partly TO speculation
and partly TO greater intrinsic value. But in
creased valua ION means the payment of more
taxes. and necessarily higher rents There are
thousands of acres of unOccupied land in the
city limits but at these prices the comparativcly
poor people must 80 elsewhere If they wish TO
own land
If the city government had been properly
managed the tax rate would decrease with the
increase in the valuations. But this is not The
case. The average rate in recent years has
increased instead Of diminished In the mean
time the tenement district proper is practically
unchanged The increase in wealth and pop
ulaion is followed by the still closer crowding
Of districts already overlooking with unfortunate
humanity There is an enormous unoccupicd
area surrounding the city to which We mus
lock 10 furnish outlets for the surplus popu.a-
ton. The problem is 10 furnish quick and
cheap methods OF transportation. he East
River Bridge nj Blaciwclls Island would bc q
step in that direction. The tunnc, under the
North River, il is TO bc hoped, will be completed
some day as another step in tho right direction.
Underground railroads. such as the one pro-
posed under Eini-st. TO connect with the Grand
Central Depot, viii lie highly advantageous, a.
| rapid transit on surface roads is impOs ,iblc
But above all there must he general rcduc-
lion Of fares on suburban trains. The cash
payment necessary TO secure the commuters
book is generally in excess of the artisans
purse and the payment of the rates now
charged for single fares is ont of the question
for such PERSONS Cheap fares will pay the
companies. rs shown by the experience Of the
elevated roads. 1t is to he hoped that some
thing will tic done in this direction 10 afford
relief to the crowded tenement districts.